The two main rivals — the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party and the Congress — have allotted tickets for the Kukshi and Sonkatch Assembly byelections in Madhya Pradesh on the basis of family equations.
Confronted with the challenge of retaining both these seats, the Congress has chosen Nisha Singhar as the party candidate from Kukshi. She is Jamuna Devi’s niece and Congress MLA Umang Singhar’s cousin. For the Sonkatch byelection, the Congress has decided to field Arjun Verma, said to be very close to Mr Sajjan Singh Verma.
From the BJP side, Mukam Singh Kirade, husband of state minister for women and child development Ranjana Baghel, will contest the Kukshi seat. Mr Kirade had unsuccessfully contested the 2009 Lok Sabha election and there has been stiff opposition to his candidature within the BJP. The BJP candidate for the Sonkatch byelection is Rajendra Verma, son of Phulchand Verma, who had lost the 2008 Assembly election from this constituency.